Black Eyes To Blue

- 8 -

Everything hurts.

"Why does everything hurt? What happened? Is it still night? It's so dark..." With an effort, Soris tried to force her eyes open. Through her cracked eyelids she saw a yellow... Thing? Then the feeling of biting cold on her forehead. Letting out a gasp of relief, she saw the yellow thing more clearly, a sponge, that was quickly pulled back and replaced with a middle aged Elven face peering back down at her quizzically.

"I am surprised you're awake" The pretty Elven woman said, "I expected you to be out for another few months at least."

The Elven woman leaned back outside of Soris's field of view and exclaimed flatly, "Oh thats why! Silly me! I pulled your blanket off when I leaned over! I'll fix that for you, it's best you get as much rest as you can."

Not having nearly enough energy to reach out with her mind, Soris forced her voice to speak with a surge of pure will. "No..."

"What was that love?" The Elven woman leaned forwards and put her ear right up close to Soris's lips. Her long dark hair brushing over Soris's face softly, smelling pleasantly of Lavender and something else equally as pleasant.

"Where am I..." Croaked Soris painfully.

"Oh honey! I am so sorry! Has no one told you anything? You must be terrified!" The Woman said gently. "My name is Lady Eir, and you are perfectly safe! However. You are very very ill, which is why you feel awful. We were able to take care of your major injury without a problem, but that cut on your neck got infected, and the vile thing has gone and spread into places that it shouldn't have. Don't you worry yourself about anything now darling, Lady Eir will take good care of you until you're all better! I promise."

"But where..." Soris tried to say again, but couldn't hear herself speak.

"Your boyfriend is off working in his forge, so don't worry about him. He's perfectly fine, and keeps a close eye on you. He comes and stays each night sleeping in this very chair I am in right next to you. In spite of all my protests of this being my house and he has his own place to stay at!" Lady Eir said with an exasperated sigh. "But I swear, you can't get that boy to anything he doesn't want to do. Especially when it comes to you my dear."

"Oh look at me going on! You have been awake far too long already! You need to get back to rest. Mardston sent out his assistant to the capital to fetch a proper healer for you. When he gets back I'll wake you up again. Okay love? Sweet dreams!" Leaning over to give Soris a maternal kiss on the forehead, she went and fixed the heavy enchanted blanket that covered the young woman.

As she was feeling herself get tucked back in, the darkness began to surround her once more as she protested silently to herself, "But he's not my... —"